Archive of Memory (English)

Sri Lanka marked 70 years of independence on February 4th 2018. While there is much to celebrate in our overthrowing a 500-year yoke of colonial rule and embracing democratic politics, it is undeniable that Sri Lanka's post-independence trajectory has also been rather turbulent and bloody. Communal riots, youth insurrections, natural disasters and a protracted civil war have cast a long, brooding shadow across recent decades. Any reflection on our past must therefore acknowledge the positive advances we have made as a nation as well as question and learn from our less positive experiences.

The Archive of Memory is a collection of 70 narrative fragments that offer compelling, personalized perspectives on these past 70 years. They recall significant moments in our post-independence history through mundane, everyday objects as well as unique artefacts and souvenirs.